closed casket funeral

Meanings

1. 1nouncountable

   A funeral at which the lid of the casket stays closed, so mourners never see the dead person's body.

   Grammar: Countable: use a/an or the, and a plural -s when you talk about more than one, as in two closed casket funerals.

   Patterns

   • a closed casket funeral
   • hold a closed casket funeral
   • at a closed casket funeral

   Because of the injuries, the family chose a closed casket funeral.

   The notice said it would be a closed casket funeral, so no one expected to view the body.

   At a closed casket funeral, a photograph of the person often sits beside the casket instead.

2. 2nouncountableformal

   A funeral of this kind used as a way of describing the event in news reports or official announcements.

   Grammar: Often appears in the pattern 'a closed casket funeral will be held ...', a formal way of announcing arrangements.

   Patterns

   • a closed casket funeral will be held
   • the funeral was closed casket

   A closed casket funeral will be held on Saturday at the family's church.

   The funeral was closed casket, and the burial followed immediately afterward.

Word forms

Common combinations

hold a closed casket funeral

They held a closed casket funeral at the request of the deceased.

a closed casket service

The church was full for the closed casket service.

have a closed casket

The family decided to have a closed casket because the accident had been so severe.

open casket funeral

Unlike her grandmother's open casket funeral, this one kept the lid shut.

Synonyms and how they differ

closed coffin funeral

The usual British wording; use it for British readers, since they call the box a coffin.

private funeral

Different idea: it means only close family attend, not that the casket is shut.

Opposites

Word family

casket noun

The rectangular box in which a dead person is buried or cremated.

funeral noun

The ceremony held for a dead person before burial or cremation.

funereal adjective

Looking or sounding suitable for a funeral; gloomy and serious.

Commonly confused: closed casket funeral or casket? closed casket funeral or coffin?

Practice

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